Contents

Country Overview

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, or Congo-Kinshasa) is a large Central African republic occupying much of the Congo River basin, with a short Atlantic coast and extensive borders in the African Great Lakes region. Kinshasa is the capital. The modern state gained independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960, was called Zaire between 1971 and 1997, and is governed under a constitution promulgated in 2006 and amended in 2011. Its diversified geography and mineral wealth contrast with persistent infrastructure gaps and conflict in parts of the east. The country is distinct from the neighboring Republic of the Congo, whose capital is Brazzaville. [5] [11] [13] [20]

Reference status: Contemporary edition • Verified: November 5, 2026 • All time-sensitive figures specify the underlying source year and coverage.

CapitalKinshasaCapital city and province
Population112.83 millionWorld Bank, 2025 [1]
Total area2.345 million km²UNdata total surface area [2]
Nominal GDPUS$91.03 billionWorld Bank, 2025 [1]
GDP per capitaUS$806.8World Bank, 2025 [1]
CurrencyCongolese francCDF (FC)

Statistics and names: The 2025 population and GDP figures are World Bank annual estimates or series, not census results. The merchandise trade totals below come from UNCTAD’s estimated 2024 goods series, not from the 2025 GDP series. The 2023 WTO product breakdown is presented separately. “Democratic Republic of the Congo” (Kinshasa) should not be confused with the “Republic of the Congo” (Brazzaville). [1] [3] [4]

Identity and State Formation

Official name
Democratic Republic of the Congo; République démocratique du Congo. [5]
Common abbreviations
DR Congo; DRC; RDC (French); Congo-Kinshasa (to distinguish it from the Republic of the Congo, or Congo-Brazzaville).
Capital
Kinshasa, which is also a city-province. [5] [2]
Continent / UN M49 subregion
Africa / Middle Africa (often described as Central Africa). [16] [2]
Precolonial civilizations
Long-established societies and political formations included the Kingdom of Kongo, Luba and Lunda polities and numerous other communities. These preceded the modern colonial and independent state. [11]
Congo Free State
1885–1908; a state held under the personal sovereignty of Belgium’s King Leopold II, marked by coercive extraction, forced labor, severe abuses and major demographic damage. [11]
Belgian Congo
1908–1960; Belgian colonial rule replaced the Congo Free State after international criticism and political pressure. [11] [12]
Independence from Belgium
June 30, 1960, initially as the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Léopoldville); Patrice Lumumba became the first prime minister and Joseph Kasa-Vubu the first president. [12]
Early post-independence crisis
1960–1965; army mutinies, secessionist movements, foreign intervention and the killing of Patrice Lumumba in 1961 destabilized the new state. [12]
Name: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Adopted in 1964; the name was replaced in 1971 and restored in 1997. [12] [11]
Mobutu era
Joseph-Désiré Mobutu seized power in 1965 and governed an authoritarian state for decades, adopting the name Mobutu Sese Seko. [12]
Name: Republic of Zaire
1971–1997; the country was officially named Zaire during most of Mobutu’s rule. [11] [12]
Current name restored
May 1997, following Laurent-Désiré Kabila’s overthrow of Mobutu. [11] [12]
Regional wars and political transition
The First Congo War (1996–1997) and Second Congo War (1998–2003) reshaped regional security; a transitional process led to elections under a new constitution. [13] [20]
Current constitutional order
Constitution promulgated February 18, 2006, amended January 20, 2011; it formally defines a democratic, secular and indivisible republic. [5]
First post-transition national election
2006 national elections marked a major stage in the postwar constitutional transition. [20]
Modern presidential transition
Félix Tshisekedi assumed the presidency in January 2019 following the December 2018 election; he won another term in the December 2023 election. [7]
National day
Independence Day, June 30. [12]
National motto
Justice – Paix – Travail (Justice – Peace – Work). [5]
National anthem
Debout Congolais. [5]
ISO 3166-1 codes
CD (alpha-2); COD (alpha-3); 180 (numeric). [16]
Internet country-code domain
.cd

Geography and Population

Location
Central Africa, spanning much of the Congo River basin and extending eastward to the African Great Lakes and highlands. [2] [19]
Total surface area
2,345,410 km² (about 905,600 sq. mi.), including inland water, per the UNdata geographic definition. [2]
Land area
Approximately 2,267,050 km² under UNCTAD’s land-only estimate; publisher coverage and methodology may differ. [3]
Population, 2025
112,832,473 (World Bank annual population estimate; not a 2025 population census). [1]
Population density
Approximately 49.8 inhabitants per km² of land (2025 UNdata estimate; rounded). [2]
Population growth
Approximately 3.2% in 2025 (World Bank annual population growth). [1]
Capital-city population
Kinshasa urban agglomeration approximately 13.74 million in UNdata’s 2025 estimate; city-boundary and metropolitan population measures differ. [2]
Other major cities
Lubumbashi, Mbuji-Mayi, Kisangani, Kananga, Goma, Bukavu, Kolwezi and Matadi; rankings vary with the urban definition and reference year.
Physical landscape
Congo Basin rainforest and lowlands; central basin, surrounding plateaus, southeastern mineral highlands and eastern Rift/Great Lakes mountain regions. [19] [15]
Principal river system
Congo River and tributaries including the Kasai, Ubangi, Lualaba and Aruwimi; major transport and hydroelectric resource. [19]
Principal lakes
Lake Tanganyika, Lake Kivu, Lake Edward, Lake Albert and Lake Mai-Ndombe; several are shared with neighboring states. [19]
Highest point
Margherita Peak in the Rwenzori Mountains, near the Uganda border; high-altitude conditions contrast with equatorial lowlands.
Atlantic access
A short coastline at the Congo River mouth near Muanda, with Matadi functioning as an important inland river port; Atlantic access is geographically limited. [19]
Land and lake-border neighbors
Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania (across Lake Tanganyika), Zambia and Angola; nine sovereign neighbors. [19]
Climate
Equatorial humid rainforest climate in the central basin; wetter and drier tropical zones to north and south; cooler alpine conditions in eastern highlands.
Biodiversity
Globally significant tropical forest, freshwater, savanna and montane ecosystems; five UNESCO-listed natural World Heritage properties. [15]
Major conservation areas
Virunga, Garamba, Salonga and Kahuzi-Biega national parks; Okapi Wildlife Reserve. [15]
Area comparability
Total area includes inland waters; the cited land-only figure excludes inland water. These values should not be interchanged in country comparisons. [2] [3]

Economy and International Trade

Economic classification
Lower-income, resource-intensive mixed economy; agriculture employs many people, while copper and cobalt dominate formal merchandise exports. [1] [4] [20]
Nominal GDP
US$91.03 billion (2025, current US dollars, World Bank). [1]
GDP per capita
US$806.8 (2025, current US dollars, World Bank); this is GDP per person, not median wages or household income. [1]
Real GDP growth
5.8% (2025, World Bank annual percentage change). [1]
Currency
Congolese franc (CDF), also called franc congolais; specified in the Constitution. [5] [2]
Main economic activities
Copper-cobalt mining; gold, tin and other mineral production; smallholder farming; forestry; commerce; transport; financial and public services. [17] [20]
Principal export products
Refined copper and copper ores, cobalt and cobalt compounds, gold, and other mineral products. Product rankings depend on classification and year. [4] [17]
Merchandise exports
Approximately US$29.9 billion (2024, UNCTAD estimated goods exports; excludes services). [3]
Merchandise imports
Approximately US$26.6 billion (2024, UNCTAD estimated goods imports; excludes services). [3]
Merchandise trade balance
Approximately US$3.3 billion surplus (2024, UNCTAD estimate; exports minus imports). [3]
Separate WTO comparator
WTO/UN Comtrade records US$27.73 billion in merchandise exports for 2023; the product-level profile pertains to 2023 and must not be treated as a 2024 detailed ranking. [4]
2024 export composition
Ores and metals represented approximately 86% of total merchandise exports in UNCTAD’s 2024 estimated grouping; manufactured goods around 10%, with other products making up the remainder (rounded). [3]
Leading export partner
China: approximately US$18.84 billion (2024 UNCTAD estimate); other major destinations include Mozambique, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Hong Kong SAR. [3]
Strategic mineral role
Major world producer of mined cobalt and copper; mineral supply chains are significant to global battery, electrification and manufacturing industries. [17] [20]
Mining export volumes
Government 2024 mining statistics record approximately 3.11 million tonnes of copper and about 139,840 tonnes of cobalt exported; physical quantities are not merchandise export dollars. [17]
Agricultural products
Cassava, maize, plantains, rice, palm products, coffee and cocoa; production for local consumption and some external markets. [20]
Electricity and water resources
Significant hydropower potential on the Congo River, including the Inga system; electricity availability and transmission remain important development constraints. [20]
Investment and economic constraints
Infrastructure gaps, conflict impacts in parts of the east, market informality and commodity-price volatility complicate economic development. [20] [13]

Principal Export Categories

Representative merchandise exports by product class. The specific product rankings and shares are WTO/UN Comtrade data for 2023; 2024 UNCTAD totals are a different year and dataset.
Export categoryExamples / economic roleSource-period note
Refined copperCopper cathodes and copper products used in electrical and industrial supply chains; largest category in the WTO’s 2023 detailed product listing.WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023
Cobalt and cobalt chemicalsCobalt oxides, hydroxides and related products for industrial and battery supply chains.WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023
Copper ores and concentratesMineral concentrates and unrefined copper products.WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023
Gold and precious materialsGold and other mineral products, with reporting differences between formal trade and mining series.WTO / national mining series
Agricultural and other goodsCocoa, coffee, timber products, and assorted manufactured and agricultural goods; small relative to mineral exports.Representative, not a 2024 ranking

UNCTAD estimates that ores and metals comprised approximately 86% of 2024 merchandise exports; the WTO’s detailed export-product profile currently cited here corresponds to 2023. These datasets should not be merged into a single product-year ranking. [3] [4]

People and Society

Official language
French, under Article 1 of the Constitution. [5]
Four national languages
Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili (Kiswahili) and Tshiluba, protected and promoted by the Constitution; Kikongo ya leta is widely used in western DRC. [5]
Other languages
Numerous additional African languages are spoken, including regional Bantu and non-Bantu languages; bilingual and multilingual practices differ across provinces.
Language-use patterns
French is widely used in administration and formal education; Lingala has a strong role in Kinshasa and western/northern areas; Kiswahili in the east; Tshiluba in the Kasai; Kikongo varieties in the southwest.
Religious composition, benchmark
World Religion Database 2020 estimates, cited in the U.S. State Department’s 2023 report: Christian 95.1%; Muslim 1.5%; unaffiliated 2.5%. These do not constitute a recent national census. [10]
Christian traditions
Roman Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, Pentecostal and Kimbanguist communities, among others; shares among Christians vary by survey and source. [10]
Muslim communities
Muslim populations are present in several provinces and cities; some community estimates exceed the 2020 database share. [10]
Indigenous religious practice
Traditional spiritual beliefs and practices coexist or overlap with Christian or other religious affiliation in some communities. [10]
Religious constitutional position
The Constitution defines a secular state while protecting religious life; no official state religion. [5]
Ethnolinguistic diversity
Hundreds of communities and language groups, including Kongo, Luba, Mongo and many other peoples; a single national group breakdown would oversimplify this diversity.
Life expectancy
About 62 years at birth (World Bank, 2024; modeled national indicator). [1]
Population structure
A young population with relatively rapid estimated growth; proportions depend on reference year and demographic model. [1]
Education
Public and nonstate schools coexist, with French serving as a principal formal instruction language; attendance and learning outcomes vary geographically.
Health
Public, faith-based and other providers operate across the country; epidemiological and access challenges differ by province.
Cultural expressions
Congolese rumba, soukous, contemporary popular music, oral traditions, literature, visual arts and diverse regional cuisines are important parts of national cultural life.
Urbanization
Kinshasa is the dominant urban concentration; other large urban centers are located in mining regions and transport corridors. [2]
Population-data caution
The 2025 population is a World Bank estimate and should not be presented as a direct census count; survey-based religious shares refer to a different year. [1] [10]

Religious data limitations: The cited World Religion Database percentages are 2020 estimates discussed in a 2023 U.S. State Department report. Christian-denomination estimates and Muslim community estimates vary; they are not interchangeable with census enumerations, and some Indigenous religious practices overlap with declared affiliations. [10]

Government and Institutions

Form of government
Unitary, constitutionally decentralized, semi-presidential republic with a president, prime minister and bicameral legislature. [5]
Constitution
Promulgated February 18, 2006, amended January 20, 2011; cited here in the official consolidated text. [5]
Head of state
President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, in office since January 24, 2019; returned after the December 2023 presidential election (officeholder checked November 5, 2026). [7]
Head of government
Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, appointed April 1, 2024 and continuing in office as of November 5, 2026. [6] [7]
Executive institutions
President, prime minister, Council of Ministers and national ministries; constitutional powers are allocated across these institutions. [5] [6]
Presidential term
Constitutionally five years, renewable once; institutional practice and electoral conditions are separate subjects. [5]
National legislature
Bicameral Parliament: National Assembly (lower chamber) and Senate (upper chamber). [5] [8] [9]
National Assembly
500 statutory seats, filled through direct legislative elections subject to applicable election laws and conditions. [8]
Senate
109 statutory seats: 108 indirectly elected through provincial assemblies plus a former elected president’s life seat; the IPU reported 109 occupied seats in its latest available series. [9]
Judiciary
Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Council of State and other courts within the national judicial system; judicial independence is constitutionally prescribed. [5]
Administrative divisions
26 first-order entities: 25 provinces plus the capital city-province of Kinshasa. [5]
Selected provinces
Kongo Central, Kwilu, Kwango, Équateur, Tshopo, Ituri, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Tanganyika, Lualaba, Haut-Katanga and the Kasai provinces; selection is illustrative, not a complete list. [5]
Provincial institutions
Provincial assemblies and governors operate within constitutional decentralized governance, alongside national administrative structures. [5]
Electoral system
Direct national elections for the presidency and National Assembly; indirect Senate selection through provincial legislative institutions. [5] [9]
Political pluralism
The constitutional system provides for political parties and national elections; conflicts, legal constraints and implementation affect political conditions. [5] [13]
Military and security
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), national police and other security bodies.
Eastern conflict conditions
As of autumn 2026, armed-group control and fighting continued in parts of eastern DRC; the central government’s constitutional territorial claims should not be confused with effective control on the ground. [13] [21]
UN peacekeeping
MONUSCO’s Security Council mandate was extended through December 20, 2026 with civilian-protection and stabilization objectives. [14]

Constitution and effective control: The 26 provinces are the state’s legal administrative divisions. Fighting and armed-group control in parts of the eastern provinces in 2026 do not alter the constitutional boundaries but do affect the exercise of public administration. The term “parliamentary seats” describes formal statutory structure, not electoral conditions in every constituency. [5] [13] [9]

International Profile

United Nations
Member since September 20, 1960. [2]
African Union
Member of the African Union.
East African Community
Full partner state since July 11, 2022; treaty of accession signed April 8, 2022. [18]
Other African regional groups
Participates in regional economic frameworks including SADC, COMESA and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
Global trade
Member of the World Trade Organization; participates in multilateral trade rules and regional market agreements. [4]
International financial institutions
Member of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund. [1]
2024 leading goods export destinations
China (~US$18.84 billion), Mozambique (~US$1.62 billion), United Arab Emirates (~US$1.43 billion), South Africa (~US$1.29 billion), Hong Kong SAR (~US$1.19 billion), according to UNCTAD’s 2024 estimates. [3]
Regional diplomatic challenges
Great Lakes security, displaced populations, and relations with neighbors are major continuing international concerns. [13]
United Nations peace operation
MONUSCO is mandated through December 20, 2026, with a geographically conditioned mandate and civilian-protection functions. [14]
World Heritage
Five UNESCO-inscribed natural properties, including Salonga and Virunga, connect conservation with cross-border environmental concerns. [15]
Atlantic and inland trade access
Short Atlantic coastal access and extensive inland river routes; overland corridors to southern and eastern African neighbors. [19]
Standard time zones
UTC+01:00 in western DRC and UTC+02:00 in eastern DRC; national regional time differs. [19]
International dialing code
+243
Internet domain
.cd

Sources and Verification

Editorial cutoff: November 5, 2026. Government officeholders, constitutional institutions and eastern conflict conditions are checked against contemporaneous sources; statistical indicators carry their individual reference years. Reported figures can be revised by the publishing organization.

  1. World Bank, Democratic Republic of the Congo Country Data — Population 112,832,473; nominal GDP US$91.03 billion; GDP per capita US$806.8; real GDP growth 5.8% in 2025; life expectancy about 62 years in 2024.
  2. United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata: Democratic Republic of the Congo — Middle Africa classification; Kinshasa; surface area 2,345,410 km²; 2025 population estimates; United Nations membership date September 20, 1960.
  3. UNCTADstat, General Profile: Democratic Republic of the Congo (2024 reference data) — Estimated 2024 merchandise exports US$29.9 billion, imports US$26.6 billion, positive goods balance US$3.3 billion; 2024 export groups and major partners; estimated land area 2,267,050 km².
  4. World Trade Organization, Tariff and Trade Data: Democratic Republic of the Congo — 2023 merchandise exports US$27.7268 billion, copper cathodes, cobalt oxides, copper ores, gold and destination shares; the WTO profile product detail is for 2023, not the 2024 UNCTAD totals.
  5. Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Constitution of February 18, 2006, as amended January 20, 2011 — Official French-language consolidated constitutional text: national and official languages, secular state, national symbols, bicameral institutions, 25 provinces and Kinshasa, presidential term.
  6. Office of the Prime Minister, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Government led by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, checked November 5, 2026.
  7. Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Heads of Government: DR Congo — Independent current-portfolio check of President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo and Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.
  8. Inter-Parliamentary Union, Democratic Republic of the Congo: National Assembly — National Assembly statutory size 500; lower-chamber information.
  9. Inter-Parliamentary Union, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Senate — Statutory Senate size 109: 108 indirectly elected members and one seat for a former elected president as senator for life; updated 2025 composition.
  10. U.S. Department of State, 2023 International Religious Freedom Report: Democratic Republic of the Congo (via ecoi.net) — Cites the World Religion Database 2020 estimates of 95.1% Christian, 1.5% Muslim, and 2.5% unaffiliated; alternative community estimates differ.
  11. Oxford Bibliographies, Belgian Colonial Rule in Central Africa (April 2024 revision) — Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, independence and colonial history; interpretation of historical names.
  12. UNHCR Refworld, United Kingdom Home Office: Democratic Republic of Congo Historical Chronology — Independence June 30, 1960; early post-independence conflict; 1964 naming transition; Mobutu-era state history.
  13. Security Council Report, Great Lakes Region (DRC), October 2026 Monthly Forecast — Latest documented eastern DRC conflict, ceasefire attempts, North and South Kivu conditions; territorial control remains contested.
  14. United Nations Security Council Resolution 2808 (2025), MONUSCO Mandate — UN peace operation mandate extended until December 20, 2026; protection of civilians and stabilization priorities.
  15. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Five inscribed natural World Heritage properties, including Virunga, Salonga, Garamba and Kahuzi-Biega national parks and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
  16. United Nations Statistics Division, M49 Geographic Regions — Middle Africa category; ISO 3166-1 country codes CD/COD/180.
  17. Ministry of Mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mining Statistics — Official mining output and export series, including 2024 copper and cobalt shipment volumes; physical tonnage differs from dollar-valued merchandise totals.
  18. East African Community, DR Congo Treaty of Accession and Membership — Treaty of accession signed April 8, 2022; full member July 11, 2022.
  19. East African Community, Democratic Republic of the Congo Country Overview — Physical geography, borders, Atlantic access, time zones, and country description (older demographic and GDP figures not used).
  20. World Bank, Democratic Republic of the Congo Country Overview — General development conditions, extractive industries, infrastructure needs, poverty and economic structure.
  21. Security Council Report, Democratic Republic of the Congo, September 2026 Monthly Forecast — Detailed contemporaneous reporting on eastern provinces, regional diplomacy and MONUSCO implementation.

Data methodology: World Bank GDP (2025, current US$) measures total economic output, while GDP per capita is GDP divided by population and is not average personal income. The UNdata total-area value includes inland water; UNCTAD’s land area does not. UNCTAD’s 2024 exports (US$29.9 billion) and imports (US$26.6 billion) are estimates for goods only. The WTO’s product-level shares refer to 2023, and are not 2024 category shares. Population and religious-composition values come from different reference years and should not be treated as one survey.